99mTc-2,3-di-mercapto-succinic acid (DMSA) is able to be used for the quantitative analysis of individual renal function by calculating the uptake ratio. The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical feasibility of DMSA uptake ratio as compared with 131I-ortho-iodo-hippuran (OIH) renogram pattern. Two hundred eleven cases (191 patients, 1 to 87 years old) with renal disorders and 4 normal volunteers (27.8 +/- 2.4 years old) were studied. Just prior to the DMSA study in the same day, OIH renogram was carried out. They were divided into 6 types by OIH renogram patterns. In 24 cases of normal renogram pattern and normal blood data who were defined as the normal group and 4 normal volunteers, DMSA uptake ratio showed negative correlation with increasing age (r = 0.61, p < 0.05). Patients of the severe impaired functioning and the non functioning patterns showed significantly decreased DMSA uptake ratios as compared with the normal pattern. There was also a significant difference in DMSA uptake between impaired functioning patterns. Compensative hemi-hypertrophy kidneys showed significantly higher DMSA uptake ratios than those of atrophic kidneys. The possibility of the quantitative analysis of the functional compensation was presumed. In conclusion, quantitative analysis of individual renal function using DMSA uptake ratio is considered to be useful to evaluate the renal functional reserve.